In terms of my health and fitness I have always been a generalist who enjoys a variety of foods and activities, with no remarkable affinity for, or ability in, anything in particular. Given where I have been the last few years, raising two small children and working, fitting in what I can has been about as good as it gets, a few foot races and climbing trips here and there excepted.

I have always wondered what I could accomplish and how I would feel if I focused my energies on a smaller quiver of activities (like I did in college), and brought more discipline to my eating (as I have never really done beyond becoming a vegetarian at age 16). As I close out 2013 and look ahead to next year, I am inspired to make 2014 about completing a personal, one-of-a-kind project.

A Fitness Project to be exact.

In its current design, my personal Fitness Project will run over the course of 2014. Each month I will do the following:
1. Focus on a single form of Exercise (e.g., yoga, running, biking)
2. Eat according to a particular diet regimen (e.g., gluten free, vegan)
3. Complete one hallmark event solo (e.g., Race, Event or Trip)
4. Complete one hallmark event with a member(s) of my Family (e.g., race, event or trip )
5. Write about it all here at MommyTasker.com

As this Fitness Project seems a bit structured and ambitious to fit into the cracks and around the edges of my real life, I decided to lay some ground rules. Below are the guidelines I have set for myself in accomplishing my 2014 Fitness Project:

1. Family and real life come first. People who perform these year-long quests and write about them are most often doing that as a full time job. While my health is a priority, I have a husband and two children who trump all else. I also have a job that I like to kick ass at. If my Fitness Project causes me to lose focus on what is truly important in my real life, then it will have to be re-prioritized. (I can picture my husband heaving a sigh of relief). 2. Do things with intention, not out of obligation. I am embarking on my Fitness Project as part of a positive life and growth experience. I am sure at times this commitment will force me out the door when I would rather stay at home. A little of that is okay, but if accomplishing my Fitness Project becomes too much of a mental burden, not an inspiration, then it is the wrong project for me. It also can't get in the way of anything I would otherwise be doing with
my family - skiing, traveling, and playing come to mind.

3. Listen to my body. GO! when my body says go, Rest when my body says rest, and continue with my overall goal of staying active and avoiding injury. I have always said that I would rather run for my entire life than get injured running one marathon. The same goes for anything I attempt as part of my Fitness Project.

4. Push my boundaries and honor my limitations. Eating a very structured diet will likely be the hardest thing for me to accomplish as part of my Fitness Project and will push me far outside of my comfort zone. I am sure that I will be pushed in many other ways as well during the course of my Fitness Project. That is the point and that is okay.

5. Enjoy the journey. This Fitness Project is about going deep, in the moment and in the collective. The act of enjoying this experience, laughing, learning, and living will be enough.

6. Share the experience. Find ways to incorporate my family, friends and strangers into my Fitness Project, one event, one day, one week, one month at a time. In the appropriate setting, a shared experience can be far richer than a solo one.

7. Engage and nourish my mind as well as my body. This will not just be about moving – it will also be about reading, and cooking, and talking and writing. This will be about mindfully and creatively working to make all of the elements of my Fitness Project rich and meaningful.

8. Try new things. This is what my whole Fitness Project is all about – trying the new thing of focusing on one thing at a time. Within that framework I will also be trying a variety of new classes, types of exercise and otherwise shaking up my routine.

9. Learn from others. Teachers, coaches, trainers, experienced practitioners, and dedicated athletes all have something to offer. I will be shameless in asking them about what they do and why and how they do it and then will try to apply and share that knowledge.

10. Get.it.Done. Yup!

So, what do you think? It sounds fun doesn’t it? Over the next couple of weeks I will be fleshing out the details and come January 1, 2014 the Fitness Project will begin.

So far what I know is that January is about Yoga and Intermittent Fasting and Family Yoga and meeting Baron Baptiste. Other preliminary design information is here: MommyTasker Fitness Project - The Design.